[社会新闻] 乔治亚流行水蛭疗法

前苏联共合国乔治亚这一阵子流行用水蛭治疗疾病，以往欧洲人会用水蛭治疗痔疮，乔治亚人把这项疗法发扬光大，用来治疗其他疾病。
rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de1 Z6 M+ O7 \, [, B" C
　　乔治亚很多诊所都提供水蛭疗法，病人得先跟诊所买一只水蛭，更年期妇女先把水蛭放在脖子上，经过一、二十分钟，水蛭吸完血，身体膨胀4倍，就可以取下，接着医师再把另外2只水蛭放在这名妇女上下牙龈上，等吸完血再取出，医师在患者伤口上贴上绷带，就算完成治疗。接受过治疗的妇女说，她们在更年期会出现的潮红和盗汗都有明显改善。5 t S3 B6 d6 q' k3 _+ G% H- A5 C. B

　　另外，有一些高血压或是经常性头痛病人，也会用水蛭疗法降低血压，或是治疗头痛。一名医师说，不但乔治亚人用水蛭治病，乌克兰、波兰、甚至德国，也有不少人接受这种疗法。; S$ U0 k- J! O5 _

! i0 l! O2 N) Z# G& b1 S* G

Women turn to leeches in Tbilisi 22 June 2011* v) u( A7 w' y, Z. B7 f% J

Leeches have been used in medicine for thousands of years. By attaching themselves to the body, and sucking blood from a patient, they were thought to bring health benefits.

The idea being that disease could be banished by releasing the infected blood.
! R! E( L: `' h! P2 Q7 `9 e ?# J
That idea fell out of fashion during the 20th century, with the discovery of modern drugs. But today, as interest in traditional medicine grows, they are making a comeback - particularly in the former Soviet State of Georgia.% @" V/ n1 e8 {; q- Y5 A- k; v3 h. }: }+ F
* V. Z) V* M5 ?0 r" c& b
Damien McGuinness in the capital Tbilisi has been finding out why.